In The Shadow of Giants: A Heartfelt Journey into the Most Famous Small Fan Bases of European Football

by Leandro Vignoli

Overview

What is it like to support a small team in a city where a footballing giant lurks? Leandro Vignoli spent 50 days on the road, getting up close and personal with the fans of 13 football clubs from ten of Europe's big cities to bring you the inside story. This book isn't about glitz and glamour — it's a celebration of each club's identity peppered with a sprinkling of history. From St Pauli's social activism to Millwall's struggle with hooliganism, from Rayo Vallecano's working—class roots to Torino's glory and tragedy, from the Catalan identity to East Germany's socialist past, no stone is left unturned as Vignoli visits teams in Barcelona, Madrid, Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Lisbon, Paris, Turin, Glasgow and London. Each chapter has a game as a backdrop alongside interviews with fans. A football fanatic himself, Vignoli weaves a narrative filled with passion and understanding that gets to the root of what it's really like to support an underdog side dwarfed by a footballing giant.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781785318870
Publisher:	Pitch Publishing Ltd
Publication date:	08/01/2021
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Leandro Vignoli was a music editor before moving into sports journalism. He has worked as a reporter at high—profile multi—sports events such as the Pan—Am and Olympic Games, and as a columnist for two FIFA World Cups. In the Shadow of Giants is his first book.